Kailey Koughan of the P.E.I. ScotiaBank Reds’ under-18 girls’ fast pitch team slides safely into second base during Monday's action against the P.E.I. Bandits in O’Leary. Attempting the tag is the Bandits’ Amy MacIsaac while Koughan’s sister, Riley, covers on the play.

The provincial under-18 girls’ fast pitch team came home on Sunday with a silver medal from the Henry Kelly Memorial tournament in Moncton, N.B., posting four strong victories before losing the gold-medal game to Nova Scotia’s Cole Harbour Surge.

Monday, the Reds split a doubleheader in O’Leary against the very strong P.E.I. under-21 provincial team.

“We played well this weekend; just fell a little short in the final game,” assessed Reds head coach Jeff Ellsworth of the 60-team Moncton tournament. “We made some mistakes mid-game that ended up costing us in the end (of the championship game).”

Overall, the Reds went 5-2 (won-lost) during the three-day stretch.

“We can live with (that) after our first weekend of ball,” Ellsworth acknowledged. “The girls played well throughout the weekend, and managed to stay positive and upbeat through it all.

“We will need to sharpen up defensively over the next couple of months. Putting runs on the board wasn’t an issue, so we will focus on the defensive side of the ball for the next little bit.”

Set the tone

The Reds’ Alyssa Fleming set the tone for the Moncton tournament, striking out every batter she faced in helping her team to a 15-0 win over the Sussex Storm in the opener, which lasted only three innings.

Clara Jane Wood (2-3, five runs batted in), Katie Rayner (3-3, three RBI) and Laura Ready (2-2, two RBI) led the Reds at the plate.

“We can live with (that) after our first weekend of ball. The girls played well throughout the weekend, and managed to stay positive and upbeat through it all. We will need to sharpen up defensively over the next couple of months. Putting runs on the board wasn’t an issue, so we will focus on the defensive side of the ball for the next little bit.”Reds head coach Jeff Ellsworth

Jordon Havenga kept the ball moving while striking out 10 batters in a complete game two-hitter in the Reds’ 7-0 win over Mount Uniacke, N.S.

Sarah Woodside (1-2, home run, two RBI) and Jada Yeo (1-3, triple, three RBI) were the Reds’ top batters.

Yeo took matters into her own hands in the Reds’ third game of the day Saturday, throwing a no-hitter and batting 3-for-4 in a 15-0 win over Tracadie, N.B.

In Sunday’s semifinal, the Reds gave up their first runs of the season in a 5-3 win over Stellarton Subway Sluggers from Nova Scotia.

Alyssa Fleming recorded six strikeouts for the win.

Emily Cairns (2-4, home run), Rayner (2-3) and Yeo (2-5) were the Reds’ leading offensive performers.

Havenga suffered the loss in the championship game as the Reds dropped a 10-5 decision to Cole Harbour.

Cairns (3-3) and Kailey Koughan (2-4) were tops at the dish for the Reds.

Doubleheader versus Bandits

Cairns (2-3, home run), Koughan (2-4, three stolen bases) and Yeo (2-4) led the Reds at the plate in a 10-6 opening-game loss to the Bandits’ under-21 team. Havenga was the pitcher of record for the Reds.

Fleming picked up the win and Havenga earned the save in the Reds’ 9-8 win over the Bandits in Game 2.

Kailey Koughan of the P.E.I. ScotiaBank Reds’ under-18 girls’ fast pitch team slides safely into second base during Monday's action against the P.E.I. Bandits in O’Leary. Attempting the tag is the Bandits’ Amy MacIsaac while Koughan’s sister, Riley, covers on the play.